Methods for manufacturing individualized protective gear from scan and resulting products

Abstract

A method for manufacturing individualized protective gear such as pads based on a scan, and the resulting pads, are disclosed herein. A garment comprising a pocket with a visibly defined border is selected. A wearer dons the garment. A scan is taken of at least a portion of the garment over the wearer's body at the location where the pocket is disposed over the wearer's body. The scan is converted to a mesh model. The mesh model is used to define a first surface of the equipment configured to form to the wearer's body at the location where the pocket is disposed over the wearer's body and a second surface offset from the first surface. The model may be checked to identify production defects, which, if present, are removed. The equipment may be manufactured using additive printing technology.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method for fabricating equipment to be worn on a wearer's body, comprising:
 a) selecting a garment comprising a marked section with a visibly defined border;   b) donning the garment on the wearer's body;   c) obtaining a scan of at least a portion of the garment as worn on the wearer's body at the location where the marked section is disposed over the wearer's body;   d) preparing a wearer mesh model derived from the scan at the location where the marked section is disposed over on the wearer's body;   e) preparing a model of the equipment, the equipment having a first surface configured to form to the garment at the location where the marked section is disposed over the wearer's body and a second surface offset from the first surface;   f) checking the model of the equipment to identify production defects and, if a production defect is present, removing the defect; and   g) manufacturing the equipment.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the garment is configured to form to the wearer's body. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the garment comprises an elastic material. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the marked section is a pocket. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the equipment is configured to be received by the pocket. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the shape of the equipment is substantially identical to the shape of the pocket inside of the visibly defined border. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the wearer mesh model includes the entire area of the garment inside of the visibly defined border of the marked section. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the garment comprises a pocket having a seam, and wherein the seam is outside of the marked section. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the wearer mesh model is limited to the area of the garment within the portion of the marked section within the visibly defined border. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second surface of the equipment is translationally offset from and substantially identical to the first surface of the equipment. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of receiving input regarding the equipment, the input comprising at least one of a thickness of the equipment, a color of the equipment, or a composition of the equipment. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the scan is obtained using LiDAR. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the scan is obtained using depth-sensing camera technology. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the production defect consists of at least one of the following: an overlapped first surface and second surface, a sharp point on a surface, an edge on a surface, a hole in a surface, a thickness less than a minimum allowable thickness, and a thickness greater than a maximum allowable thickness. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the wearer mesh model has a resolution of at least 0.1 mm. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of manufacturing the equipment comprises additively manufacturing the equipment. 
     
     
         16 . A method for fabricating equipment having a shell portion and a liner portion to be worn by a wearer, comprising:
 a) selecting a garment comprising a pocket with a visibly defined border;   b) donning the garment on the wearer's body;   c) obtaining a scan of at least a portion of the garment at the location where the pocket is disposed over the wearer's body;   d) preparing a wearer mesh model derived from the scan at the location where the pocket is disposed over the wearer's body;   e) preparing a model of the shell, the shell having a first surface defined by the wearer mesh model and a second surface translationally offset from and identical to the first surface;   f) checking the model of the shell to identify production defects and, if a production defect is present, removing the defect;   g) preparing a model of a liner by flattening the model of the shell;   h) additively manufacturing the shell;   i) manufacturing the liner; and   j) attaching the liner to the shell.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising linking the model of the shell and the model of the liner to a serial number. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising orienting the model of the shell along a principal axis of the model of the shell for additive printing. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the liner is attached to the shell by adhesively attaching the liner to the shell in a vacuum environment.